Links
We are not in this alone. Throughout the world other capable and committed people are tackling the challenges of how to achieve good governance and lead organizations and complex systems, strategically. This section is designed to link you to other resources, ideas and solutions that can support you as you strive to raise your governance capacity. If you are aware of other helpful and relevant links please let us know and we will mention them here. Please submit your relevant links to support@governingtogether.ca
Agency Governance Tools - Ontario MInistry of Government Services
Good governance is the cornerstone of organizational and service excellence. It builds public trust by maximizing effectiveness and mitigating risk. In response to increasing public expectations for transparency and higher standards, the Ministry of Government Services has developed a suite of tools to help agencies practise good governance. The suite of tools is drawn from best practices across the Ontario Public Service, in the private sector and in other jurisdictions. It was shaped by a diverse group of experienced agency appointees and agency staff to fit the overall needs and culture of Ontario’s agency community. It was developed by agencies for agencies.
Association of Ontario Health Centres
The Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC) is the policy and advocacy organization for non-profit, community-governed, multidisciplinary primary health care organizations. Our members are Ontario's Community Health Centres, Aboriginal Health Access Centres and Community Family Health Teams.
Centre for Advancement in Collaborative Strategies in Health - Partnership Self-Assessment Tool
The Tool measures a key indicator of a successful collaborative process - the partnership's level of synergy. The Tool also provides information that helps partnerships take action to improve the collaborative process.
Centre for Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health
The Center for the Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health helps partnerships, funders, and policy makers realize the full potential of collaboration to solve complex problems related to health or any other area.
Governance Resource and Toolkit for Voluntary Integration Initiatives
Significant diversity in the size, corporate structures and governance approaches between and among the various health service providers leads to considerable challenges and defies any “cookie cutter” approach to Board governance. Recognizing this diversity, the guidance provided by this Toolkit is intended to assist the range of health service provider Boards in addressing their responsibilities and in working through the governance complexities and uncertainties inherent in the identification, development and implementation of voluntary integration initiatives.
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care
Official Site.
Ontario's Local Health Integration Networks
Official Site.
Ten Key Principles for Successful Health Systems Integration
Integrated health systems are considered part of the solution to the challenge of sustaining Canada's healthcare system. This systematic literature review was undertaken to guide decision-makers and others to plan for and implement integrated health systems. This review identified 10 universal principles of successfully integrated healthcare systems that may be used by decision-makers to assist with integration efforts. These principles define key areas for restructuring and allow organizational flexibility and adaptation to local context. The literature does not contain a one-size-fits-all model or process for successful integration, nor is there a firm empirical foundation for specific integration strategies and processes.
The Inside Agenda with Steve Paikin
An on-line blog with perspectives regarding the impact and future of LHINs on our health system. "In The Agenda’s ongoing discussion of health care reform in Ontario, we debated the merits of LHINs (Local Health Integration Networks) – which were still new back then – and promise of regionalization." The conversation continues...
Towards a Canadian Model of Integrated Healthcare
Canada does not have integrated healthcare. Canada has a series of disconnected parts, a hodge-podge patchwork, healthcare industry comprising hospitals, doctors' offices, group practices, community agencies, private sector organizations, public health departments and so on. Each Canadian province is experimenting with different types of organizational structures and processes with the intent of improving the coordination of services, facilitating better collaboration among providers and providing better healthcare to the population. However, regional health authorities and their variants in Canada do not possess most of the basic characteristics of integrated healthcare such as physician integration and a rostered population (Hospital Management Research Unit 1996,1997). In contrast, most developed countries are currently emphasizing integration of the components of healthcare as a solution to many of the problems that plague national health systems (Raffel 1997; Saltman and Figueras 1998). This paper uses evidence from the international experience to recommend strategies for achieving integrated healthcare in Canada.